


Stand by Me

by Sweetferret



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Ponyo AU, kagehina as little kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 12:18:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10899204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetferret/pseuds/Sweetferret
Summary: “I don’t think it's a toy. Look, it’s moving.” The girl points at him. She’s tinier than the boy at her side and her hair is tied in two ponytails. “Let’s put it in my bucket! I want it!” She says, raising her arms, which are holding said bucket, and smiling.“Why do you want it? It looks dead and ugly.” The boy holding him frowns, shaking him with too much force.Who does this boy think he is? He’s ugly as well!





	Stand by Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi hi! This was my submission for the ghibli zine that won't happen anymore, but we're planning to release it as a free e-zine! Go to [this link](https://hq-ghibli-zine.tumblr.com/) to keep track of other works and info about the compilation :3  
> \--  
> This story is a collaboration with [Pixie](http://bibbidibobbididette.tumblr.com/), and [this is the beautiful art she made.](http://bibbidibobbididette.tumblr.com/post/160734328366)  
> I want to thank her for the inspiration her art gave me to write this and [Mari](http://ghost--fox.tumblr.com) because she's the best and helps me a lot all the time!  
> That's all, i hope you like my story ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

Ignoring every voice, every sound, every wave, Tobio continues swimming against the violent flow. He’s had enough of being trapped, hidden from the world; a world too cruel to accept him it seems, but is everyone like that?

A branch hits him in the face and he’s left to the mercy of the water for a few moments. Shaking himself to his senses, Tobio prepares to resume his way against the current when suddenly something smacks his head, knocking him out.

It’s hard to know how much time he sleeps, but when something restrains him unconsciously he fights to be released; if this is another of Oikawa’s bubbles he’ll slap him.

Voices he doesn't recognize murmur near him, faces a blur as his eyes struggle to adjust. The sounds become clear before the images, his vision still fogged.

“Is that alive?” One voice asks.

“I think is a toy. Let me take it out,” another says.

Then there’s hands touching him, roughly. He doesn’t like it.

His vision starts to return, letting him realize he’s backwards and facing a couple of kids with bright orange hair.

“I don’t think it's a toy. Look, it’s moving.” The girl points at him. She’s tinier than the boy at her side and her hair is tied in two ponytails. “Let’s put it in my bucket! I want it!” She says, raising her arms, which are holding said bucket, and smiling.

“Why do you want it? It looks dead and ugly.” The boy holding him frowns, shaking him with too much force.

Who does this boy think he is? He’s ugly as well!

Annoyed with this dumb human, Tobio spits what water he has in his mouth at him. While the girl laughs loudly and the boy cleans his face with his arm, Tobio frees himself, jumping from the boy's hand, slapping his face, and going back to the water.

With a little _splash_ the laugh of the girl and bickering of the boy become distant noise. Tobio swims away until he can’t hear the sounds from the kids, then pokes his head above the surface, looking at them on the shore.

The girl points at him again, giggling while saying something to the boy. He ducks underwater, making Tobio fear he’ll come after him, but returns seconds later, seaweed covering his hair and falling over his face, roaring and waving his dirty arms. The little girl screams and runs away, but the laughter following the encounter confuses Tobio.

They chase each other for so long, splashing water, swimming, and especially laughing. They laugh so much, but Tobio can’t understand why; even after the girl falls and starts crying, soon they’re laughing again.

When a bigger person appears behind them in the distance, he swims down. Tobio finds himself smiling; that kind of fun is what he had been wanting when he went to the beach, not rocks or seashells hitting him. He was right to believe not everyone is like those other humans.

Leaving the words Oikawa said him out of his mind, he starts exploring this body of water completely in awe. He had never left the ocean before and everything feels different; gentle waves, a sweeter taste, and strange fish too, but he has food and a lot of space to swim. More than enough to him.

It’s matter of time for Tobio to learn where the best cave to sleep is, along with the right spot where the sun warms and food hides.

To his surprise the boy that found him comes back every day, bringing different objects and catching fish, though he always returns them before leaving.

Tobio watches these kids hidden among rocks and circle-shaped plants. He’s curious about what they do, the boy when he comes alone and both of them when they play.

After a few days the boy comes with an object Tobio is familiar with; a hideous net.

The kid prepares it, extending the net over the water’s surface. He doesn’t seem pleased because next he runs along the shore, dragging it towards another place where Tobio knows is deep for him.

This action reminds Tobio of those big ships Iwaizumi warned him about; big boats with long nets that steal the fish and kill the ocean. Scrunching his face, Tobio keeps watching.

Suddenly the kid trips, entangling his feet with the net, losing his balance, and crashing against the water; big drops jump from it, foam and bubbles appearing where the boy fell.

Tobio swims down, recognizing the kid’s figure swirling and turning in the distance, sinking more and more. In an attempt to free himself his hands get trapped in a knot of ropes, his movements becoming more erratic.

The kid’s eyes widen when he notices who came to help, trying in vain to move.

With his little arms Tobio pulls the ropes surrounding the boy’s feet, a harder task than it seemed. After several attempts, the kid’s eyes start to close, movements weakening.

Sand blinds Tobio as they hit the bottom.

_If this continues,_ he thinks, _he’ll die._

Fingers brush his face, and he has an idea.

Canalizing magic in his body, he feel himself turning bigger as his breathing becomes labored. When he stops growing without leaving more time to think, he takes one of the boy’s arm and pulls him up. This requires more force than he anticipated, but somehow he manages to break the surface, mouth hanging open as he feels his lungs fill with air. The human at his side doesn’t move, so he swims to the shore.

Tobio drops the boy once they reach land, coughing and trying to breathe all the air in the world. At his side the kid starts coughing too, spitting water from his mouth and nose.

His new body feels strange, for starters he has actual _fingers,_ and the beating in his chest is stronger than before. It’s a pleasant feeling, given that accomplishing the transformation was easier than Oikawa had said.

“Hey,” someone at his side says.

Tobio turns to look at the kid he saved, his head is tilted and his wet hair reaching his eyes, but the way he’s staring at Tobio is kind of unsettling, he’s _excited._

“Are you the fish from the other day?” He creeps closer, eyes big and bright.

Tobio moves back, nodding slowly. He eyes the water behind the kid, wishing to go back soon.

“That’s so cool!” The boy yells, arms extending to his sides. “I’m Shouyou! I live near the lake over that hill! What’s your name?”

Lake? Shouyou? Hill? He should have listened Iwaizumi’s explanations...

The boy, Shouyou, continues smiling, moving closer as he waits for an answer.

“To… bi—o.” Tobio tries to copy how he has seen others talk, but it doesn’t sound quite right.

“Your name is Tobio? Then Tobio you have to teach me how to transform into a fish!” Shouyou stands up, showing him his hand.

Tobio stares him, not sure what he should do. Shouyou notices this and takes his arm, helping him to stand.

Just then a voice calls out, far above the hill.

“Shouyou! Dinner is ready!”

“Coming!” He shouts, waving to the person who appears. “Why don’t you come with me? My mom always cooks a lot.”

Tobio doesn’t have time to decline. Shouyou takes his hand and insists, saying he won’t regret it while pulling him to his house.

He barely has a chance to look back to the water before following the boy.

During the short walk Shouyou is all smiles and compliments, but Tobio barely hears anything. All of the new sensations are overwhelming; Shouyou’s soft hand, the breeze brushing his hair, the strands of grass below his feet, the smell coming from the house. He takes in everything, and looking at his new friend he decides he won’t waste this opportunity.

“Mooom, I brought someone!” Shouyou shouts once they enter the house. He takes off his soaked shoes and pulls Tobio again, leading him to another room.

“Oh, is he a new friend?” The person Tobio had seen multiple times in the distance asks, turning and smiling at him.

“Yes! He’s a fish!” Shouyou says excitedly, sitting in the floor near a low table and tapping the place at his side for Tobio.

“Shouyou! Don’t talk nonsense!” His mom spins around, a scary expression on her face. “You’ll upset your friend!”

Shouyou’s smile disappears as he nods and mutters an apology. Tobio shakes his head. He doesn’t like how Shouyou’s face looks and even if he’s not exactly a fish the description is close enough. This seems to work a bit, after all he saw Tobio transform, but Shouyou glances at his mom, who’s back is facing them again.

Suddenly the little girl appears, saying something about taking her to the shore. As soon as she realizes there’s a stranger in the room though she stops dead in her tracks and stares at Tobio. Did he do something wrong?

“She’s Natsu, my sister,” Shouyou presents her as she walks and sits in front of him.

Tobio nods lowering his gaze. She’s staring at him with a face similar to the one her mom had a few minutes back.

“What’s your name dear?” Shouyou’s mom asks, placing a bowl in front of him and Shouyou.

“Tobi-o,” he manages to say, better this time.

“So, Tobio, do your parents know you’re here?”

He frowns, still looking the table and clasping his hands.

“The-y are bu-sy.”

Tobio doesn’t know what kind of face Shouyou’s mom makes, but the _clang_ of the dishes against the table is really loud.

“If you want you can stay the night and I can go tomorrow to talk with them.” When Tobio looks up she’s smiling and handing something to him.

He nods slowly, taking what he’s being given. His parents won’t be here to talk with her, but for now he’s hungry and the food smells good.

Tobio copies what Shouyou does, putting the oval-shaped object in the food and eating what he catches. Whatever this is tastes better than anything he has eaten in the ocean. He devours the rest and when he tries to do the same with another bowl Shouyou’s mom left at his side, his friend stops him.

“What are you doing, silly? The spoon doesn’t go there! You’ll make the milk taste like curry,” he giggles.

Tobio discovers a lot of things that night. How to drink milk, which tastes wonderful, what spoons and chopsticks are for, that Shouyou and Natsu laugh a lot while eating, and how much he would like to stay longer.

By the time Shouyou’s mom sends them to sleep he feels exhausted. He’s not used to projecting magic on himself for long periods of time, but he doesn’t want to go back yet; he’s comfortable as a human.

The next morning he wakes up with Shouyou’s legs all over his face, the blankets spread at their side. Shouyou wakes up soon after, once again dragging Tobio to the kitchen. There they find several bowls covered with plastic and a note that Shouyou reads.

“Mom says she’ll be back by lunch and that you can stay as long as you want,” he says when he finishes, ripping the cover off the plates and choosing one of it contents.

Shouyou goes to wake up Natsu who, noticing Tobio is still in the house, can’t stop looking at him suspiciously.

“He’s the fish you liked, you know,” Shouyou comments, taking another onigiri, as Tobio heard, and shoving it all into his mouth.

“Don’t lie to me, brother!” She takes one of the onigiris and sticks out her tongue at them before running out.

Shouyou shrugs telling him to not worry.

When they finish, Shouyou takes Tobio’s hand and takes him outside.

“Will you teach me to transform into a fish?” He asks, guiding them to the lake.

“I do- don’t know?” Tobio admits, tripping but managing not to fall thanks to Shouyou’s hand.

They stop by the shore and Shouyou turns to look at him with sparkling eyes.

“Pretty please!” He begs.

Tobio has to look to the side, embarrassed. Without saying anything he walks to the water and sinks below the surface. The blurry image of Shouyou laying in the grass and leaning his head over the edge shines above him.

Tobio stops the flow of magic traveling over his body and immediately starts to shrink. Soon he’s back to his original size.

Poking his face out of the water, Tobio sees Shouyou clapping, his grin so wide it almost reaches his eyes.

“Again! Again! It’s so cool!” He repeats, resting his head on his hands.

Tobio goes back underwater and starts the flow again. When the transformation finishes he pokes his head out once more. Shouyou is smiling, arms folded over the grass very near to the edge. The other boy doesn’t stop saying thing like ‘you're so tiny and cute as a fish’ and ‘i still prefer how you look like this.’

His cheeks feel warm, and he smiles slightly. He has never been complimented so much before.

“Shut up…” Tobio mumbles.

He hides in the water but then Shouyou jumps in, foam surrounding him as orange hair pops up right in front, followed by big eyes and puffed out cheeks.

“Now it’s my turn!” Shouyou says when they go back to the surface, breathing deeply and sinking down into the water.

Tobio tries to explain it’s not enough just to go underwater, but Shouyou doesn’t give up and stays down until he almost passes out.

“Dumbass! You can’t do it!” Tobio shouts, dragging Shouyou out of the water and to the shore.

Shouyou shakes his head, coughing up water. “I won’t know until I try it! And don’t use mean words.”

“You have tried tons of times!”

Shouyou shakes off Tobio’s hand and jumps in the lake again, but he never gets to touch it.

Wide eyed, Shouyou gasps centimeters above the surface.

“Gwaah! I didn’t know I could fly!” He yells, extending his arms and trying to swim as if he were in the water.

Tobio lowers his hand, sighing. He’ll let him float. It’s something he can help with at least.

He hears quick steps behind him then, and turning around he finds Natsu coming straight toward him.

She drops the bucket in her arms and shouts, “I want to learn too!” Eyes shining just like her brother.

“Natsu you brought the bucket! Let’s fish!” Hinata approaches them, struggling to move.

Tobio doesn’t understand the expression but releases him, a big splash following it.

Natsu jumps and Tobio does what she wanted; making her float around the lake. Meanwhile Shouyou takes no time in plopping down a few meters away, pulling a string with a sharp piece tied to it out of the bucket.

Tobio stays with Shouyou, careful to not lose focus on Natsu. Several minutes later he watches Shouyou take out a little fish; he gasps at the same time his friend shouts excitedly.

Immediately the bucket is filled with water and the fish, which swims in circles around the border.

“Do you think I can make it do tricks?” Shouyou asks, moving his face near the bucket and making faces; widening his eyes, then narrowing them, and then mumbling orders.

Tobio snorts, that’s something not even he can do.

A big splash followed by laughter make them look up. Natsu had fallen into the water and now swims in their direction yelling “did you see me?” To her brother.

For a second he thinks she’ll get mad at him, but after exchanging excited shouts with Shouyou they start playing a game, followed by more later; they run, fish, swim, and play ball games.

It’s pretty late when they go back home to eat. Steamy food waits for them in the kitchen along with Shouyou’s mom asking with a smile what took them so long.

The next few days are similar but never boring; Shouyou makes sure of that, and Tobio enjoys every moment. Though enjoying it becomes more difficult with each minute of keeping his human form, the use of magic takes a lot of his energy, and more so if he uses it to play.

He’s tired, but Shouyou never comments on it, instead he starts planning more activities inside, letting Tobio take all the naps he wants.

One night a voice wakes him up, a voice he knows too well.

Tobio feels the grip of Shouyou’s hand in his, but that person sounds closer, meaning it’s time to go.

Looking at his sleepy friend one last time, he releases his hand, then rushes to the door and runs to the lake.

The water looks calm, welcoming him like many times before. Before he can jump in though, something grabs his shirt from behind, startling him.

“Where... are you going?” Shouyou asks, yawning.

Tobio relaxes, breathing deeply, and turns. “I have to go. He’s looking for me…”

“Mmh?” This revelation is enough to wake him up fully. “But you can’t go now! Mom said you could stay with us!”

“I just need to! You don’t understand!” Tobio frowns and pushes him back. “Oikawa is almost here and I just can’t… I can’t…” He can’t explain what he feels, a mix of embarrassment and fear overcomes him.

“It’s okay.” To his surprise Shouyou actually smiles, stepping closer. “As long as I’m here you’re invincible.” He grins, closing his eyes and tilting his head.

Something jumps inside of Tobio’s chest, but the feeling is cut short as a figure appears coming out of the lake, making his eyes widen and his mouth hang open.

“Hi, Tobio! It’s time to go back.” His melodious voice resounds in the night, smug smile and wavy hair recognizable thanks to the moonlight.

Tobio glances back to the water, a quick thought of escaping crosses his mind just as a hand clasps his own, squeezing it. He looks at Shouyou, who despite showing concern in his eyes gives him a smile. He makes a new decision thanks to it.

“No…”

“Tobio, don’t be stubborn.” Oikawa shakes his head, walking closer. “You know that despite looking like a human, you’re dangerous.”

“He isn’t dangerous! He can be mean but also super nice!” Hinata shouts, taking a step forward.

Oikawa sighs. “I’m glad you made a friend, but Tobio we _must_ go. _Now.”_ He raises his voice and that’s all it takes for Tobio to react.

The water in the lake starts bubbling, waves hitting the shore violently. Hinata retreats behind Tobio as he keeps his eyes on the surface, hands trying to raise. Soon a lump of mud and seaweed comes out, dragging itself. Towering over Oikawa, it straightens between him and the kids.

“Tobio, this is not--” A mud clod hits him in the face before he can finish talking.

Shouyou and Tobio snort at the sight of the adult spitting dirt and rubbing his sleeve over his face, leaving a big stain on it, it’s thrilling.

Frowning, Oikawa extends his arms, making the grass surrounding the monster grow and trap it. Tobio steps closer, ready to protect Shouyou and attack when the ground trembles and a voice roars.

“Tooru!” It says, just as another figure appears at his side.

Monster and weeds crumble down as the figure takes form, resulting in a man with short spiky hair, arms crossed over his chest.

“We came to take Tobio back, not hurt him!”

_Iwaizumi!_ Tobio thinks.

“But Hajime, he threw mud at me!” Oikawa points to his face, clearly offended.

“Yes, and he’s still a kid. You are not.” He turns his eyes towards Tobio, whose gaze falls to the ground. “Tobio, what are you thinking?”

“I… I’m happy here. I don’t want to go back…” Tobio glances at him just in time to see him smirk.

“Do you really want to stay with that human?” He gestures to Shouyou.

Yawning Tobio nods, turning and seeing his friend smiling.

Suddenly he’s fighting to keep his eyes open, limbs going numb and sounds far away from him.

“And what about you? You want to--?”

Iwaizumi continues talking but Tobio can’t hear more, he falls to the grass and realizes he’s shrinking, going back to his old form.

Then everything turns black.

\---

Shouyou kneels, carefully taking Tobio and holding him close to his chest. He went back to his rag-doll form without warning and, for the looks of it, fell into a deep sleep.

“Are you sure?” The broad man asks.

Shouyou nods, he really wants to stay with Tobio.

Both men stare at each other for a long moment, then the taller one sighs and comes closer to him.

Shouyou surrounds tiny Tobio with his arms, protecting him and keeping the man from touching him.

“It’s okay. I’m going to give him back.” To Shouyou’s surprise he smiles, a real soft smile, and opens his hand.

Shouyou glances to the nicer man who also smiles and nods.

He places Tobio on the man’s hand and watches him walk to the water, putting him over the surface. Water starts surrounding Tobio until he’s floating in a sphere, still on the man’s hand.

He returns then, showing him the bubble with his friend inside, a soft light coming from it.

“Here. When you get home you’ll give this bubble a little kiss and Tobio will be human once and for all. Take care of him, will you?”

Shouyou takes the bubble from the man’s hand, just as the other person stands by his side.

He crouches and puts a hand on his shoulder. “Tobio can be rude sometimes, but he really cares. I’m sure.”

Shouyou tilts his head. There’s only one thing he wants to know.

“Are you Tobio’s parents?”

As the man stands, he looks surprised to his side. Suddenly both men smile at each other and then at Shouyou again.

“You could say that,” the one with wavy hair says. “See you, Hinata.”

Shouyou waves with one hand, careful to not drop the bubble with Tobio inside. The strangers walk holding hands to the water and after their figures disappear a soft light leaves bubbles on the surface.

The wind picks up, making Shouyou shiver under his light pajamas, hands feeling colder under the bubble. He notices how peaceful Tobio looks while sleeping, just like the day he found him in the net.

Biting his lip, he gently presses the bubble to his chest and rushes home; quick but steady steps to avoid tripping.

When he’s going in, all the rooms dark and quiet, he feels movement above his hands. A fully awake Tobio swims around the bubble, trying to free himself.

“I’m here,” Shouyou says, raising his friend to his face.

At his words Tobio stops and looks up, mouth forming an o.

Shouyou sits in the genkan, toes curling against each other.

“You really want to give up the cool things you can do to be human? We’re so boring in comparison…” He whispers, careful not to wake anyone.

Tobio turn his back and Shouyou presses his lips tightly. It was obvious he would choose the cooler life.

He’s going to tell Tobio it’s okay to go back to the lake when  he jumps, bubble raising with him in the air. Rolling inside the bubble Tobio directs it towards Shouyou’s face, swimming closer to the surface.

Shouyou’s lips touch the bubble and it pops, letting Tobio grow into his human self and fall to the floor, crushing Shouyou beneath him

Tobio hugs Shouyou tight, pressing both of their cheeks together. Laughing, Shouyou hugs back, squeezing the life out of him and feeling like a real dumbass.

When his mom finds them, startled by the sudden noise coming from the entrance, she sees them hugging, side by side, deeply asleep on the floor.


End file.
